As the pool world descends on Frisco, Texas, for the prestigious US Open Pool Championship, Shane van Boening once again carries the heavy hopes and expectations of the long-awaited sixth title.
Currently tied with Earl Strickland at five US Open titles, Van Boening has stood on the verge of standalone immortality for a decade since beating the late, great Chang Jung-Lin in the 2016 final.
Seven different champions have hoisted the coveted Barry Behrman trophy since, but SVB kept falling short. His closest brush with history came in 2024, when he reached the final before succumbing to Fedor Gorst in a dramatic title decider.
Yet, despite a ten-year title drought at the iconic tournament, the South Dakota Kid remains the immovable benchmark of American excellence.
This year, SVB’s fans have every right to be optimistic about his title chances after his run of form ahead of the US Open, winning the Florida Open after wiping out six major champions, followed by a deep run to the semi-finals of the Arizona Open.
The lethal, metronomic break that established his dominance nearly two decades ago remains as devastating as ever, now backed by a surgeon’s patience and unmatched shot-making ability from every position on the table.
The likes of Eklent Kaci, Duong Quoc Hoang or Aleksa Pecelj are hungry to get their first taste of US Open silverware, while next-gen American sharpshooters like Tyler Styer and Skyler Woodward will fight with more than 100 percent for the final tickets to the Mosconi Cup.
Adding to the gauntlet, 15 former champions, including Carlo Biado, Fedor Gorst, Aloysius Yapp, Joshua Filler and Earl Strickland himself, are back on the hunt for another chapter in the history book.
From a tournament that forged his legacy when he introduced himself to the world in 2007, Van Boening’s mission nearly 20 years later remains unaltered: to bring the trophy home.
If he can navigate his way through the stacked 256-player pool in Texas and capture the unprecedented sixth title, he will not only break the record but also cement his status as the greatest cueist of the modern era.
Van Boening kicks off his journey against a fellow American in Glen Davis. If there is no surprise, Peru’s Cristopher Tevez or the Netherlands’ Marc Bijsterbosch awaits the great SVB in the second round.
